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Description

The VNP18A1 Version 2 is a NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Downward Shortwave Radiation (DSR) gridded Level 3 product. It is produced at 1 kilometer pixel resolution at daily intervals. DSR is the incident solar radiation over land surfaces in the shortwave spectrum (300-4,000 nanometers) and is a significant variable in land surface models (LSMs), receiving increased attention due to its importance for the management and operation of solar energy systems.

The VNP18 algorithm adapts the narrowband look-up table (LUT) approach to estimate DSR. The LUTs consider different types of loadings of aerosols and clouds at a variety of illumination and viewing geometry. The Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD) is forthcoming and will provide additional details regarding the methodology used to create the data.

Provided in the VNP18A1 product are layers for instantaneous total, direct, and diffuse DSR, as well as 3-hour DSR, daily mean DSR, and a quality layer.

Known Issues

• No Known Issues

Improvements/Changes from Previous Versions

• N/A

Product Summary

Platforms
Suomi-NPP
Instruments
VIIRS
Spatial Extent
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Spatial Resolution
1000 Meters x 1000 Meters
Geographic Region
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
2012-01-19 to Present
Temporal Resolution
1 Day
Data Partner
Land Science Investigator-led Processing System, Terrestrial Information Systems Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, Sciences and Exploration Directorate, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA (NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/TISL/LandSIPS)
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC)
Concept ID
c2631841562-lpcloud
Data State
ACTIVE
Processing Level
3
Published
Updated

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

Wang, D. (2025). VIIRS/NPP Downward Shortwave Radiation Daily L3 Global 1km SIN Grid V002 [Data set]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VNP18A1.002 Date Accessed: 2025-08-30

Data Center Citation

Dongdong Wang. 2025. VIIRS/NPP Downward Shortwave Radiation Daily L3 Global 1km SIN Grid V002. Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA: NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VNP18A1.002.

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